Infrared spectroscopy affords a rapid and easy method of estimating the position of a mineral in the olivenite-adamite solid solution series, and of estimating the amount of phosphate substitution in olivenites. Toman's discovery of the monoclinic symmetry of olivenites with up to approximately 20 atom % Zn/(Cu + Zn) has raised a problem in nomenclature. It is suggested that the definition of ‘cuproadamite’ be extended to cover all orthorhombic members of the series containing appreciable Cu. Studies of deuterated materials have helped to solve some of the absorption band assignments for olivenite-adamite, libethenite and related minerals.